Platform-independent content generation for thin client applications

Abstract

A system for executing thin client applications, the system configured to: generate, by a thin client application executing on a client computing device, an initial content request identifying a platform; send the initial content request to a content provider; receive platform-independent initial content from the content provider in response to the initial content request; display the initial content on the client computing device; detect a user input associated with the initial content; send a user engagement request for secondary content; receive user-interactive secondary content server-side rendered in a platform-dependent format of the client computing device based on the platform identification; and display the secondary content on the display component.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for providing content, the system comprising:
 a computer processor; and 
 a content engine executing on the computer processor and configured to:
 receive an initial content request from a thin client application executing on a client computing device; 
 provide a plurality of initial content for the thin client application in response to the initial content request, wherein the plurality of initial content is server-side rendered and platform-independent; 
 receive, from the thin client application, a user engagement request identifying a user input associated with the plurality of initial content; 
 execute a headless web browser to obtain a plurality of subsequent content generated in the platform of the client computing device based on the user input; 
 provide, in response to the user engagement request, the plurality of subsequent content in a platform-independent format for display by the thin client application; and 
 
 the headless web browser configured to execute in the platform of the client computing device to:
 establish a session with a content provider of the plurality of initial content; 
 render the plurality of initial content in a platform-dependent format; 
 emulate the user input on the plurality of initial content rendered in the platform-dependent format; and 
 receive a plurality of subsequent content from the content provider in response to emulating the user input. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of initial content comprises an interactive user interface, and the content engine is further configured to:
 receive a plurality of user engagement requests from the thin client application, each of the plurality of user engagement requests comprising a command for modifying the interactive user interface; 
 provide updates to the plurality of initial content for the thin client application in response to the plurality of user engagement requests; and 
 wherein the headless web browser is configured to, for each of the plurality of user engagement requests and during the session:
 emulate a user interaction on the plurality of initial content rendered in the platform-dependent format, and 
 render, based on the command, a modification to the plurality of initial content rendered in the platform-dependent format. 
 
 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the content engine is further configured to:
 provide, for the thin client application, an instruction to request a tracking pixel, wherein the thin client application requests the tracking pixel from a reporting service in response to the instruction and in conjunction with displaying the plurality of subsequent content. 
 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the headless web browser is further configured to maintain the session with the content provider across multiple requests from the thin client application. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the content engine further comprises functionality to:
 provide a video stream for display by the thin client application, wherein the plurality of initial content and the plurality of subsequent content are advertisements displayed relative to the video stream. 
 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user input is a directional indicator obtained from a remote control device operatively connected to the thin client application, and wherein the thin client application includes limited rendering functionality. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the thin client application includes functionality to periodically request a tracking pixel from an external reporting service while the plurality of initial content is displayed to the user, and wherein the system further comprises the external reporting service comprising functionality to:
 estimate a display time of the plurality of initial content based on a number of requests of the tracking pixel. 
 
     
     
       8. A method for providing content, comprising:
 receiving an initial content request from a thin client application executing on a client computing device; 
 providing a plurality of initial content for the thin client application in response to the initial content request, wherein the plurality of initial content is server-side rendered and platform-independent; 
 receiving, from the thin client application, a user engagement request identifying a user input associated with the plurality of initial content; 
 executing, by a computer processor, a headless web browser to establish a session with a content provider of the plurality of initial content; 
 rendering, by the headless web browser, the plurality of initial content in a platform-dependent format; 
 emulating the user input on the plurality of initial content rendered in the platform-dependent format; 
 receiving a plurality of subsequent content from the content provider in response to emulating the user input, 
 providing, in response to the user engagement request, the plurality of subsequent content in a platform-independent format for display by the thin client application. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of initial content comprises an interactive user interface, and the method further comprising:
 receiving a plurality of user engagement requests from the thin client application, each of the plurality of user engagement requests comprising a command for modifying the interactive user interface; 
 providing updates to the plurality of initial content for the thin client application in response to the plurality of user engagement requests; wherein the headless web browser is configured to, for each of the plurality of user engagement requests and during the session:
 emulate a user interaction on the plurality of initial content rendered in the platform-dependent format, and 
 render, based on the command, a modification to the plurality of initial content rendered in the platform-dependent format. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 providing, for the thin client application, an instruction to request a tracking pixel, wherein the thin client application requests the tracking pixel from a reporting service in response to the instruction and in conjunction with displaying the plurality of subsequent content. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the headless web browser is further configured to maintain the session with the content provider across multiple requests from the thin client application. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 providing a video stream for display by the thin client application, wherein the plurality of initial content and the plurality of subsequent content are advertisements displayed relative to the video stream. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the user input is a directional indicator obtained from a remote control device operatively connected to the thin client application, and wherein the thin client application includes limited rendering functionality. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the thin client application includes functionality to periodically request a tracking pixel from an external reporting service while the plurality of initial content is displayed to the user, and wherein the method further comprises:
 estimating a display time of the plurality of initial content based on a number of requests of the tracking pixel. 
 
     
     
       15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising a plurality of instructions for providing content, the instructions configured to execute on at least one computer processor to enable the computer processor to:
 receive an initial content request from a thin client application executing on a client computing device; 
 provide a plurality of initial content for the thin client application in response to the initial content request, wherein the plurality of initial content is server-side rendered and platform- independent; 
 receive, from the thin client application, a user engagement request identifying a user input associated with the plurality of initial content; 
 execute a headless web browser to establish a session with a content provider of the plurality of initial content, wherein the headless web browser renders the plurality of initial content in a platform-dependent format and emulates the user input on the plurality of initial content rendered in the platform-dependent format; and 
 provide, in response to the user engagement request, a plurality of subsequent content in a platform-independent format for display by the thin client application, wherein the plurality of subsequent content is obtained from the content provider in response to emulating the user input. 
 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of initial content comprises an interactive user interface, and the plurality of instructions further configured to enable the computer processor to:
 receive a plurality of user engagement requests from the thin client application, each of the plurality of user engagement requests comprising a command for modifying the interactive user interface; 
 provide updates to the plurality of initial content for the thin client application in response to the plurality of user engagement requests; wherein the headless web browser is configured to, for each of the plurality of user engagement requests and during the session:
 emulate a user interaction on the plurality of initial content rendered in the platform-dependent format, and 
 render, based on the command, a modification to the plurality of initial content rendered in the platform-dependent format. 
 
 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , the plurality of instructions further configured to enable the computer processor to:
 provide, for the thin client application, an instruction to request a tracking pixel, wherein the thin client application requests the tracking pixel from a reporting service in response to the instruction and in conjunction with displaying the plurality of subsequent content. 
 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein the headless web browser is further configured to maintain the session with the content provider across multiple requests from the thin client application. 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , the plurality of instructions further configured to enable the computer processor to:
 provide a video stream for display by the thin client application, wherein the plurality of initial content and the plurality of subsequent content are advertisements displayed relative to the video stream. 
 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein the user input is a directional indicator obtained from a remote control device operatively connected to the thin client application, and wherein the thin client application includes limited rendering functionality.